Decision Records

The beauty of this technique is that “we’ve always done it this way” is not a good excuse anymore. Teams are empowered to review and (if need be) change established decisions and practices. Knowing why a certain decision was made - the context, timing, key players etc. is critical for knowing when it’s okay to change those decisions.

It makes me wonder - why don’t we do something similar for leadership decisions? Why are a leader’s decisions to be treated differently than architectural/technical decisions? They also are highly contextual, often based on the conditions of the moment. And when situations change, it’s perfectly reasonable to revisit those decisions and ask “why not change?”

Even if it’s just for my own benefit, I’m resolved to start writing down my “Business Decision Records.”